Cylinder cocking and form roller adjusting mechanism



Jan. 26, 1965 G. A. NOTHMANN CYLINDER COOKING AND FORM ROLLER ADJUSTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1962 INVENTOR.

GERHARD A. NOTHMANN MM ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1965 G. A. NOTHMANN 3,167,025

CYLINDER COCKING AND FORM ROLLER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 16, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet I2 FIG.3

INVENTOR.

GERHARD A. NOTHMANN ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1965 G. A. NOTHMANN 7,

CYLINDER COCKING AND FORM ROLLER ADJUSTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 16, 1962 s SheetsSheet 3 FIG.4 W

INVENTOR.

GERHARD A. NOTHMANN ATTORNEYS United State alarms cocaine Arm so Y v This invention pertains in general to mechanism for adjusting one member of a printing couple angularly with respect to the coacting member of said couple whereby the impressions printed upon a continuous web or sheet by any unit of a multi-unit printing press can be more accurately registered with the impressions printed upon said web or sheet by the other units of said press. It is directed more specifically to a mechanism whereby the plate cylinder of a printing unit may be adjusted angularly with respect to its coasting blanket or impression cylinder to thereby compensate for a skewed plate or image and which mechanism incorporates means for moving the form inking and dampening rollers in unison with the plate cylinder when the latter is adjusted, to thereby maintain the established contact relation between said rollers and the plate cylinder substantially constant for all positions of said cylinder.

In multi-unit printing presses and particularly those of the web offset type, it is common practice to provide means for adjusting the respective plate cylinders of the individual units both laterally and circumferentially relative to the coacting blanket cylinder in order to compensate for an improperly positioned plate or for an image which is improperly located on the plate on one unit and thereby move it into register with the corresponding plates of the other units. These adjustments are effective when the plate and/or the image thereon is precisely parallel to the axis of the plate cylinder and needs only to be advanced or retarded or moved laterally to bring it into register. However, since such adjustments do not disturb the parallel relation of the plate cylinder with respect to the form inking and dampening rollers, corresponding adjustments of said rollers are not required when the plate cylinder is adjusted.

It often happens however, that the impression printed by the plate cylinder of one unit of a multi-unit press is slightly cocked or skewed with respect to the impressions printed by the other units. In other words, the leading edge of the impression printed by said one unit is not positioned precisely parallel to the axis of the plate cylinder and one corner is slightly advanced or retarded with respect to the other corner. This may be caused by improper positioning of the plate on the. plate cylinder during mounting or by inaccurate location of the image on the plate when the plate is prepared. in such instances the conventional mechanisms employed for efiecting lateral or circumferential adjustments of the plate cylinder are incapable of correcting the condition and it has been necessary heretofore to physically remove and reposition the plate on the plate cylinder. This, however, is a dilficult, time consuming operation which adds considerably to the down time of the press.

More recently, adjustable means have been developed which provide for the plate cylinder of the printing unit atent G "Ice to be cocked, i.e. adjusted angularly with respect to the coasting blanket or impression cylinder, whereby an improperly mounted or skewed printing plate can be brought substantially into register. However, the known mechanisms of this type do not incorporate means for auto matically and simultaneously efifecting corresponding adjustments of the form inking and dampening rollers. Therefore, it is necessary for the operator to readjust the individual rollers relative to the angular position of the plate cylinder and in some instances this adjustment requires that the press be stopped. Such readjustment of the inking and dampening rollers is essential in order to maintain an even distribution of the ink and water across the full Width of the printing plate; to prevent the rollers from wearing unevenly due to a differential of pressure along the length of the rollers; and to insure that the inking rollers do not actually lose contact with the plate when corrective angular adjustments are imparted to the plate cylinder.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved mechanism for eliecting angular adjustments of the plate cylinder of a printing press while the press is in operation and which mechanism incorporates means for simultaneously imparting corresponding adjustments to the associated form inking and dampening rollers whereby the radial distance between the center of the plate cylinder and the centers of the respective rollers is maintained constant.

Another object is to provide roller adjusting means which are rigidly connected between the rollers and the cylinder adjusting mechanism to thereby preclude excessive roller vibrations or roller bounce.

A more specific object is to provide a mechanism of the aforesaid character wherein the cylinder adjusting member and the roller adjusting members are formed as an integral unit to insure precisely simultaneous and corresponding motions of the cylinder and rollers.

A still further object resides in the provision of mechanism including an eccentric disc and a coacting segment and wherein said disc is movable relative to the segment to effect adjustments of the rollers in unison with the plate cylinder and said segment is movable relative to the disc to efifect tripping of the rollers from the cylinder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of modifications with respect to details thereof without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevation of a web ofiset perfecting press embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of FIGURE 1 and illustrates the skewed plate condition which can be corrected by employing the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a slightly enlarged sectional view of the plate cylinder and form roller mounting means;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken substantially along lines IV.IV of FlGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a view of the control means for effecting adjustment of the plate cylinder and the coacting form inking and dampening rollers.

A web offset perfecting press of the type illustrate-:1 in the drawings is adapted to print upon both sides of a -.a continuous web of paper as the web passes through the nip of the coacting cylinders and the press may comprise two or more in-line, substantially identical printing units such as Ill, 12 and 13 for printing in a corresponding number of colors on both sides of the web.

Since the respective units of the press are identical the ensuing description will be directed primarily to unit 12 thereof and corresponding reference numerals will be applied to the corresponding elements of the other unit. Moreover, although the cylinder and roller adjusting mechanism to be described hereinafter is illustrated as applied only to the feed side of the plate cylinder, where it is conveniently accessible for adjustment by the operator, it is to be understood that the mechanism may be incorporated at either one or both ends of each plate cylinder of each unit if desired.

Each printing unit, in effect, consists of two separate printing assemblies each of which is adapted to print its espective image upon opposite sides of the web. The upper assembly of each unit consists essentially of a blanket cylinder 14, a coacting plate cylinder 15 which carries the form to be printed, a series of form inking rollers 16, 17 and 18 with their associated vibrator rollers 19 and 20, and the water form rollers 21. and 22 and their associated vibrator roller 23. The lower printing assembly is similarly constituted of a blanket cylinder 24, a plate cylinder 25, form inking rollers 26, 2.7, 28 with their associated vibrator rollers 2? and 30 and the dampening rollers 31, 32 and their vibrator rollers 33.

It is to be understood that the complete inking and dampening systems include additional rollers for conveying ink and water respectively from an ink and water reservoir to the respective vibrator rollers, but since these rollers do not constitute any part of the present invention they have not been shown.

When the press is in operation the respective cylinders and rollers are driven in unison in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 1 and as the web 10 passes the blanket cylinders 14" and 24" of the unit Ill each blanket cylinder transfers its respective image onto the opposite sides thereof. The web then passes sequentially between the blanket cylinders 1444 and l4'24 of the units 12 and 13 respectively to receive a second and third color impression on each side thereof and these subsequent impressions must be superimposed in precise register on the first color impression to produce acceptable products.

As illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, however, it frequently happens that a plate, or the image on the plate, on one of the plate cylinders is slightly cocked or skewed and its image will not be printed in register with the images printed by the other units. Such condition is illustrated to an exaggerated extent in FIGURE 2, wherein the plate on the plate cylinder 15 of the upper printing assembly of unit 12 is indicated as being cocked with respect to the corresponding plates on the plate cylinders of units Ill and 13. Consequently if the plate on plate cylinder 15 is not properly adjusted its impression will be printed out of register as indicated by the dotted line 34.

In order to provide adjustment whereby a skewed printing plate or image can be moved into substantial register with the corresponding plates of the units 11 and 13 the mounting means at one end of the plate cylinder 15 are made adjustable whereby said cylinder can be shifted angularly with respect to its coasting blanket cylinder 14. Such adjustments have the effect of advancing and/ or retracting the corresponding end of the skewed plate on the plate cylinder 15 to compensate for its skewed condition and thereby locate its leading and trailing edges precisely parallel to the corresponding edges of the plates on the plate cylinders of units Ill and 13.

The mounting means for the plate cylinder 15 essentially consists of a cylindrical bearing housing 36 which is mounted in the side frame member 37 for limited rotation in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction about the axis 38. The bearing housing is provided with a bore 39 to receive the bearing 42 mounted on the end of the journal 43 of the plate cylinder 15 and this bore is located eccentrically in the bearing housing about the axis 44. The bearing 42 is preferably of the self-aligning type and the inner-race 4-6 thereof is fastened on the journal 43 by means of a cap member 47 which is fastened to the end of the journal by bolts 43. The outer-race 4-9 of the bearing in turn is secured in position within the bearing housing by means of the flanged cap member 51 which is secured to the housing by bolts 52.

In the neutral or zero position of the plate cylinder 15, in which position the axis of said cylinder is precisely parallel with the axis of the blanket cylinder 14, the bearing housing 3-6 is positioned so that the axis 44 of the bore 39 which is also the axis of the plate cylinder 15, is in a plane drawn through the axis of the blanket cylinder 14 and the axis 38 of the bearing housing. Accordingly, when the bearing housing is rotated to a limited extent in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, the axis of the plate cylinder 15 will be caused to move in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the said plane and thus the center distance between the blanket cylinder 14 and the plate cylinder 15 will be maintained substantially constant.

The mechanism for imparting rotary motion to the bearing housing 36 is associated with an arm 53 afiixed to or formed integral with said housing and which projects radially therefrom. A tapped hole 54 is provided in said lever to receive the threaded shaft 55 which is connected by an intermediate bar 57 to the end of a threaded shaft 58 adjustably mounted in the block 59 secured to the frame member 37. A hand wheel 61 is secured to the projecting end of the shaft 53 and when the hand wheel 61 is rotated, relative axial motion will be imparted to the shaft 58 which in turn will cause the bearing housing 36 to be displaced angularly about its axis 38. In order to compensate for the change in the angular position of the shaft 56 upon movement of the bearing housing, universal type couplings 62 and 63 are used to couple the bar 57 to the respective ends of the shafts 5d and 58 which permits maximum displacement of the bearing housing without interference. An indicator in the form of a V shaped disc 64 mounted on the bar 57 is adapted to indicate the extent of adjustment imparted to the plate cylinder on a calibrated scale 66 located on the frame 37. To obtain the desired angular movement of the bearing housing upon rotation of the hand wheel 61 the respective shafts 56 and 58 are both provided with right hand threads of differing pitch. In the present embodiment the threads on the shaft 56 have a pitch of .100 inch whereas the threads on the shaft 58 have a pitch of .143 inch. Accordingly one revolution of the hand wheel will cause the bearing housing to be displaced .043 inch and this movement in turn will impart a relative angular dis placement to the plate cylinder of .0027 inch in either direction relative to the neutral position. It follows therefore that approximately eight full turns of the hand wheel 61 will be required to shift the plate cylinder to its maximum displacement of .020 inch in either direction and this relatively extensive adjustment of the hand wheel permits of exceedingly fine and accurate adjustment of the plate cylinder.

The ink form rollers 16, 17 and 18 are supported for swinging movement about the axis of their respective vibrator rollers 19 and 20 and they are arranged to be tripped and adjusted in position relative to the vibrator rollers and the plate cylinder 15 in addition to being moved in unison with the plate cylinder when the latter is adjusted, by parts which are similar for all of the rollers and which are identified in the drawings by similar reference numerals, apart from the presence or absence of a distinguishing sutfix. The following description therefore, will be directed primarily to the roller 17, but will apply equally to the rollers 16 and 18.

The shaft 67 of the form roller 17 is provided with a bearing block 68 which is mounted in a socket 69 in the bracket 71 which in turn is pivotally mounted on the shaft 72 of the vibrator roller 19. A clamp 73, aflixed to the bracket 71 by means of the bolt '74, retains the bearing block 68 in the socket 69. However, the socket 69 is somewhat longer than the bearing block 68 to permit adjustment of the form roller 17 radially with respect to the vibrator roller 19 to thereby establish the proper contact or squeeze between said rollers by means of the adjusting screw 7s located in the leg 7'7 of the bracket 71.

The mounting for the roller 17 as thus far described, not only holds the roller at afixed axial distance from the vibrator roller 19 as determined by the adjustment of the screw 76, but it permits it to swing about the axis of the shaft 72.

A pivot block 7 8 is carried by the bracket 71 and a com bination tripping and adjusting rod '79 passes through the block 78, being rotatable therein but fixed against axial movement by its head ill and a thrust collar 82. T he opposite end of the rod 79 is screw threaded received in a threaded bore provided therefor in a pivot pin 83 which is rotatably carried by a control men-1 er or tripping segment dd. As best shown in FIGURE 3, the segment 84 is provided with a slot ("5-5 in its periphery which provides clearance for the rod 79 and permits movement of the segment 84 for tripping and adjusting purposes as will be come evident hereinafter.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by applying a tool to the squared head 81 of the rod 79 and turning the same, the center distance between the form roller 17 and the plate cylinder 15 can be adjusted to establish the desired squeeze therebetween and such adjustment will not affect the previously established set ting of the form roller with respect to the vibrator roller 19.

The segment 84 is mounted on the inner face of the frame member 37 by means of gibs as and 87 which are arranged to hold the segment against the frame member but which permit it to be moved an ularly about the axis of the plate cylinder 15 for tripping purposes. The segment 84 is also provided with an arcuate slot 855 FIG- URE 3, which is adapted to fit over an eccentric disc 89 formed on the inner end of the bearing housing 36 and which disc is adapted to control the angular position of the segment. The coacting surfaces of the disc @9 and the coacting slot 33 in the segment 84 are held to close tolerances during the manufacture thereof so that the clearance therebetween is adequate to permit the re spective members to move relative to one another for tripping and adjusting purposes, but will be sufiicientl rigid to prevent vibration of the form roller mounting means and subsequent form roller bounce when the press is in operation.

The disc 89 is of circular configuration, but it is located eccentrically'with respect to the plate cylinder. its axis 91 is located in a predetermined position relative to the axes 38 and 44 of the bearing housing and plate cylinder respectively, and in a manner that the disc will impart the proper relative motion to the segment 84 upon rotation of the bearing housing, which motion is transmitted to the rollers and is effective to maintain the center distances between the form rollers l6, l7 and 18 and the plate cylinder 15 substantially constant for all positions of the said cylinder.

This effect, in particular, is achieved by orienting and locating the connecting rods 7949' and 79 and their hinge points with segment 34 and brackets Zll7ll and 71" in the proper manner. These points are located in such manner that the center lines through the respective hinge points pass through certain instant centers, the properties of which and the method for determining their location are well known to those skilled in the art.

The instant centers involved in this mechanism, through which the aforementioned center lines must pass in order to achieve the desired results, are the instant centers relat ing segment 84 and the roller supporting brackets '71, 71 and 71". These points are located by conventional methods, by assuming that for proper operation, the mechanism acts as though a rigid link is connected between the center of the plate cylinder and the centers of the respective form inking rollers. While such links are not actually included in the mechanism, it will be evident that a mechanism which is designed to function as though such links were connected as described, will provide the required property of permitting cocking movements of the plate cylinder without incurring changes in the contact relation or squeeze between the respective form inking rollers and the plate cylinder.

From the description thus far it will be seen that means are provided for adjusting the respective form rollers relative to their coacting vibrator rollers and the plate cylinder to thereby establish the desired contact relation therebetween and that thissetting is maintained constant, notwithstanding, the angular adjustments imparted to the plate cylinder, by virtue of the eccentric disc 89 which imparts corresponding relative movement to the segment 84 and thereby to the ink form rollers whenever the plat cylinder is adjusted.

While the bearing housing 36 and therewith the disc 89 are arranged to be movable relative to the segment 84 for the purpose of adjusting the angular position of the plate cylinder and therewith the form rollers l6, l7, and 18, the segment 84 is also adapted to be moved relative to the disc 89 for the purpose of tripping the form rollers away'from the plate cylinder 15. lit will be understood that the tripping function is arranged to be effected either automatically or manually in the conventional manner, but for the purposes of explanation we have illustrated only the manual tripping means. As shown in FIGURE 4 an arcuate lever 2 is pivotally connected to the segment M as at 93 and the opposite end of said lever in turn is pivotally connected at 94 to a hand lever 96 mounted on a shaft 97. Accordingly when the hand lever 96 is in the position as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the ink form rollers will be in their operative position in contact with the plate cylinder. However, upon movement of said lever 96 to the position indicated by the broken line @8, the segment 84 will be moved in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of the plate cylinder and due to the angular position of the respective rods 7%, 79 and '79" such motion of the segment will cause the brackets 71, 71 and '71" to pivot about the axes of the vibrator roller shafts 72, 72 thereby raising the form rollers away from the plate cylinder. The arrangement and location of the respective elements and the location of the disc 89 is such that the tripping motion. imparted to the segment S4 will function to trip the form rollers regardless of the angular position of the plate cylinder.

The form dampening rollers 21 and 22 are mounted in a manner which is very similar to the form inking rollers and therefore the corresponding elements of the dampening roller assembly are identified by the same reference numbers which however bear distinguishing sufixes.

The location of the dampening rollers relative to the plate cylinder 15 in the present example is such that they are arranged to be controlled and tripped by an independ ent segment ltll which is movably mounted on the frame 37 in a manner similar to segment 34 by gibs Hi2 and 1%. The segment ltll is provided with a circular slot 1% which fits over a second disc 1% on the bearing housing as and which is instrumental in causing the segment Hill to move in unison with the plate cylinder 15 when the latter is adjusted angularly. In the case of the dampening rollers however, the flange 1% is formed concentric with the cylinder journal since the movement imparted to the plate cylinder is in substantially a straight path toward or away from the dampening rollers and thus each roller is moved to precisely the same extent. In the case of the ink form rollers, each roller is required to be moved to a different extent because of their location relative to the plate cylinder and therefore the mechanism is specifically designed to impart the necessary angular motion to the segment'iid.

It will be understood, however, that an arrangement such as has been illustrated and described in conjunction with the inking rollers may be used to control the dampening rollers if their position is such relative to the plate cylinder as to require it.

In an offset press, the dampening rollers are not ordinarily arranged to trip off the plate cylinder when the form inking rollers are tripped, but are permitted to remain in contact with the plate during such periods to prevent the plate from drying up. Also, when starting up it is necessary to trip the dampening rollers onto the plate before the inking rollers are tripped on so that the background or non-printing areas of the plate will be adequately dampened and will not pick up ink when the form inking rollers are tripped on.

Accordingly the segment 161 is arranged to be rocked relative to the bearing housing 36 to thereby trip the dampening rollers 21 and 22 on and off the'plate cylinder 15 independently of the form inking rollers. A connecting link it is pivotally connected 'tothe segment fill at the and its opposite end is connected to a bracket 109 which is pivotally mounted at 110 to the frame 3'7. A second link in is connected between the bracket lit and an arm 11?. that is keyed to a rotatable shaft 113 having the lever lid secured thereto. Accordingly, when the lever 114 is rocked to the position indicated by the broken line 115 in FIGURE 4 the segment 191 will be moved about the disc flange 1% in a counterclockwise direction about the axis 44 of the plate cylinder and this movement in turn will cause the rods 7% and 79b to pivot the brackets 71a and 71b about the vibrator roller shaft 72a thereby moving the dampening rollers out of contact with the plate cylinder. Reverse movement of the lever llld will, of course, trip the dampening rollers back onto the plate cylinder and it is to be understood that this tripping function can be effected in any angular position of the plate cylinder.

What is claimed is:

1. Ina rotary printing press, a pair of spaced side frames, a plate cylinder and a coacting cylinder journalled for rotation in the side frames, journalling means for the plate cylinder including an adjustable bearing housing in the side frame at one end of the plate cylinder, a bore in the bearing housing to receive the plate cylinder bearing, the axis of said bore being eccentric with respect to the axis of the housing whereby rotation of the bearing housing will shift the adjacent end of the plate cylinder relative to the coacting cylinder in a direction substantially normal to a plane through the axes of the plate and the coacting cylinder, a series of form rollers located at spaced intervals about and normally adapted to have rolling contact with the plate cylinder, supporting means for each roller including a bracket pivotally mounted for swinging movement of the roller toward and away from the plate cylinder, a control segment movably mounted on the side frame, a link pivotally connected between predetermined hinge points on each bracket and on the control segment, said links being adapted to maintain each roller at a selected center distance with respect to the plate cylinder, means for adjusting the bearing housing to thereby shift the adjacent end of the plate cylinder relative to the coacting cylinder, and means for imparting movement to the respective rollers in directions related to the movement of the plate cylinder, said means comprising a control surface formed integral with the bearing housing for controlling the position of the control segment, and said surface being so oriented with respect to the links, the hinge points and the axes of the bore and the bearing housing as to provide the necessary instant centers whereby upon movement of the bearing housing said surface will impart the requisite relative radial shifting motion directly to the control segment and thereby to the respective rollers to maintain the center distances between the respective rollers and the plate cylinders substantially constant.

2. In a rotary printing press, a pair of spaced side frames, a plate cylinder and a coacting cylinder journalled for rotation in the side frames, journalling means for the plate cylinder including an adjustable bearing housing in the side frame at one end of the plate cylinder, a bore in the bearing housing to receive the plate cylinder bearing, the axis of said bore being eccentric with respect to the axis of the housing whereby rotation of the bearing housing will shift the adjacent end of the plate cylinder relative to the coacting cylinder in a direction substantially normal to a plane through the axes of the .plate and the coacting cylinder, a series of form rollerslocated at spaced intervals about and normally adapted to have rolling contact with the plate cylinder, supporting means for each roller including a bracket pivotally mounted on the side frame for swinging movement of the roller toward and away from the plate cylinder, a control segment comprising an arcuate member having a groove formed therein, a link pivotally connected between predetermined hinge points on each bracket and on the control segment, said links being adapted to hold each bracket and thus each roller at a selected center distance with respect to the plate cylinder, means for adjusting the bearing housing to thereby shift the adjacent end of the plate cylinder relative to the coacting cylinder, and means for imparting relative movement to the respective rollers in directions related to the movement of the plate cylinder to thereby maintain the selected center distances between the rollers and the plate cylinder, said means comprising a laterally projecting arcuate flange formed integral with the hearing housing and adapted to be received within the groove in the control segment, said arcuate flange having operation upon movement of the housing to impart related movement to the control segment, and said flange being oriented with respect to the links, the hinge points and the axes of the bore and the bearing housing to provide the instant centers necessary to maintain the center disstances between the respective rollers andthe plate cylinder substantially constant during the movement of the plate cylinder.

3. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1 whereby means are provided for movingthe control segment relative to the control surface to thereby trip the rollers off the plate cylinder.

4. In a rotary printing press, a pair of spaced side frames, a plate cylinder and a coacting cylinder journalled for rotation in the side frames, journalling means for the plate cylinder including an adjustable bearing housing in the side frame at one end of the plate cylinder, a bore in the bearing housing to receive'the plate cylinder bearing, the axis of said bore being eccentric with respect to the axis of the housing whereby rotation of the bearing housing will shift the adjacent end of the plate cylinder relative to the coacting cylinder in a direction substantially normal to a plane through the axes of the plate and the coacting cylinder, a series of form rollers located at spaced intervals about and normally adapted to have rolling contact with the plate cylinder, supporting means for each roller including a bracket pivotally'mounted on the side frame for swinging movement of the roller toward and away from the plate cylinder, a control-segment supported for adjustment on the side frame, an adjustable link connected between predetermined hinge pointson each bracket and on the control segment, said links being adjustable whereby to initially set and thereafter maintain each roller at a selected center distance with respect to the plate cylinder, means for rotating the bearing housing to thereby shift the adjacent end of the plate cylinder relative to the coacting cylinder, and means for imparting relative movement to the respective rollers in directions related to the movement of the plate cylinder to thereby maintain the selected center distances between the rollers and the plate cylinder, said means comprising a flange formed integral with the bearing housing and having operation upon relative rotary movement of the bearing housing to impart related radial motion to the control segment, said flange being oriented with respect to the links, the hinge points and the axes of the bore and the bearing housing to provide the instant centers necessary References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,653,537 Peyrebrune Sept. 29, 1953 2,853,943 Royer Sept. 30, 1958 2,949,851 Ghormley Aug. 23, 1960 3,065,690 Heller et a1 Nov. 27, 1962 

1. IN A ROTARY PRINTING PRESS, A PAIR OF SPACED SIDE FRAMES, A PLATE CYLINDER AND A COACTING CYLINDER JOURNALLED FOR ROTATION IN THE SIDE FRAME, JOURNALLING MEANS FOR THE PLATE CYLINDER INCLUDING AN ADJUSTING BEARING HOUSING IN THE SIDE FRAME AT ONE END OF THE PLATE CYLINDER, A BORE IN THE BEARING HOUSING TO RECEIVE THE PLATE CYLINDER BEARING, THE AXIS OF SAID BORE BEING ECCENTRIC WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF THE HOUSING WHEREBY ROTATION OF THE BEARING HOUSING WALL SHIFT THE ADJACENT END OF THE PLATE CYLINDER RELATIVE TO THE COACTING CYLINDER IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO A PLACE THROUGH THE AXES OF THE PLATE AND THE COACTING CYLINDER, A SERIES OF FORM ROLLERS LOCATED AT SPACED INTERVALS ABOUT AND NORMALLY ADAPTED TO HAVE ROLLING CONTACT WITH THE PLATE CYLINDER, SUPPORTING MEANS FOR EACH ROLLER INCLUDING A BRACKET PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE ROLLER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE PLATE CYLINDER, A CONTROL SEGMENT MOVABLY MOUNTED OF THE SIDE FRAME, A LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BETWEEN PREDETERMINED HINGE POINTS ON EACH BRACKET AND ON THE CONTROL SEGMENT, SAID LINKS BEING ADATPED TO MAINTAIN EACH ROLLER AT A SELECTED CENTER DISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO THE PLATE CYLINDER, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE BEARING HOUSING TO THEREBY SHIFT THE ADJACENT END OF THE PLATE CYLINDER RELATIVE TO THE COATING CYLINDER, AND MEANS FOR IMPARTING MOVEMENT TO THE RESPECTIVE ROLLERS IN DIRECTIONS RELATED TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLATE CYLINDER, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A CONTROL SURFACE FORMED INTEGRAL WITH THE BEARING HOUSING FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITION OF THE CONTROL SEGMENT, AND SAID SURFACE BEING SO ORIENTED WITH RESPECT TO THE LINKS, THE HINGE POINTS AND THE AXES OF THE BORE AND THE BEARING HOUSING AS TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INSTANT CENTERS WHEREBY UPON MOVEMENT OF THE BEARING HOUSING SAID SURFACE WILL IMPART THE REQUISITE RELATIVE RADIAL SHIFTING MOTION DIRECTLY TO THE CONTROL SEGMENT AND THEREBY TO THE RESPECTIVE ROLLERS TO MAINTAIN THE CENTER DISTANCE BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE ROLLERS AND THE PLATE CYLINDERS SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT. 